Increasing concerns about the long-term aims of certain Syrian opposition forces may now be leading the international community to “turn off the tap for the rebels.”

That is according to NPR Foreign Correspondent Deborah Amos, who has just returned from five-weeks of reporting in and out of Northern Syria.

“I think what is happening is there is some sort of arrangement so that [the rebels] don’t exactly win the war, but they push the regime enough to make them talk,” she told CNN’s Fionnuala Sweeney.

The West is concerned about rebel groups like al-Nusra, which the U.S. branded a terrorist organization last month. But most analysts say that al-Nusra is among the best fighting forces trying to overthrow the regime.

The prevailing notion among many Syrians is that they would “sleep with the devil to get rid of Bashar al-Assad,” Amos said.

There are signs that the Syrian regime may be open to some sort of settlement.

In an interview with a Lebanese newspaper last month, Syrian Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa called for a “historic settlement” of the civil war and a unity government.

“There is some movement in the regime,” Amos said. “Is it enough to get a deal? Not very clear.”

What is clear is that neither side of the brutal civil war is making much headway.

“The regime strategy all along has been to test the international community,” Amos said. “Is it okay ten a day? Is it okay to kill a hundred a day?”

The United Nations now estimates that at least 60,000 people have died in the conflict.

To many Syrians, Amos said, there is disbelief about the international community’s inaction. Why, they ask, is it verboten for the government to use chemical weapons but okay for it to kill 100 people waiting in line for bread, as happened just over a week ago?

“There are no rules at all.” Amos said. “At least in Iraq, we knew where to be. I now am looking at towns being bombed in places I was two weeks ago, which I thought was safe on the day that I crossed that border. I often realize that there are no safe places in Syria.”

soundoff(43 Responses)

cnn does not say why? the fact that the Turkish pilots wanted to take military aircraft Syria, and to bomb the Turkish territory, for war
why do not they say? as a free army suits demonstration penalty to the civilian population, and they then flee the country

The US was brave in the past, now that they are beaten in their wars and hated everywhere, the US is a chicken and spineless, they don't even have the courage to say that they with Assad against his people and that the killings are the nature of the US citizens, they did it to the Indians.

Why blame America ? I'm sick of US being blamed for everything. They did not start this war and exactly because of people like you who blame the US for everything, they do not want to get involved with ground troops.

Why people blame US? so simple ask the US government why they have CIA at the borders of Syria with Turkey and Jordan to prevent any help from reaching the Syrian people and why US help the regime by preventing any real action against it. If you believe that only Russia and Iran are protecting the Syrian regime you are very naive the main dictator's protector is AMERICA it is OBAMA who protects assad.

cnn does not say why? the fact that the Turkish pilots wanted to take military aircraft Syria, and to bomb the Turkish territory, for war
why do not they say? as a free army suits demonstration penalty to the civilian population, and they then flee the country

It is clear that the whole world is turning a blind eye on what is happening to the Syrian people. The international community is partly responsible for the rise in Salafi Jihadists groups by sitting on the fence while watching the barbaric and criminal Assad regime killing hundreds of Syrian civilians day after day and do nothing. The West will come crying tomorrow that the most popular resistance in Syria is Al Nusrah front if this regime is not put to an end ASAP. Asaad regime will be defeated by the Syrian people with the west's help or without. It is up to the international community to be perceived by the Syrian people as a friend or a foe.

cnn does not say why? the fact that the Turkish pilots wanted to take military aircraft Syria, and to bomb the Turkish territory, for war
why do not they say? as a free army suits demonstration penalty to the civilian population, and they then flee the country

I believe that the 'opposition (terrorist jihadists)' is killing as many as the legitimate government, probably many more. We learned from Libya just how much honor the opposition has – just as bad as the existing government. Fight it out, last man standing wins.

When some people started to fight there leader if d wester world like that government they will call that people terorism but if they don,t like that government they will call that people opposition why why why

Why always arabs blaming our problems on someone else? In the past, the problem thought to be coming from the regimes, but if you read the comments posted on arab sites you agree ...it is people problem..mentality should be changed

In Spain the feelings against the NATO are increasing by the day. We've had enough of this international mafia. EU and NATO are the real terrorists, to build a new left against globalization, imperialism and feudal capitalism is our hope.

Very Strange
Humans blaming Human Nations for killing Human
Where's the HUMANITY ?
All those fighting and blaming are Believers
I've never heard this from Adam to Abraham to Moses to Jesus to Muhammad
May be they ain't belivers
They are follwers of self desires 'Satan'
The least positive thing to stop human bloodshed can still be
Admitting ' I am wrong ' and pray
Please finish this Goliath by a DAVID
Don't Blame
Don't be angry
Help them
What ever, Who so ever can, using his contacts

First time I read news comments
and felt Sorry
Forgive me if I was Harsh

No wonder the world is leaving the Syrians to their own luck.
The Free Syrian Army is nothing but a rag tag collection of close minded individuals with very different goals for the country.
Must want it to become a backwards sharia law ridden country that would become the next Taliban era Afghanistan while others seek to split the country between the sects.
Many Suni have already bowed to kill Alawites regardless of their alligiance and even teach their children to seek this as well.
And whatever governement that comes from them will take vengeance against secularists, former Assad regime supporters and christians.
This civil war is ugly but it's just truly beggining and when Assad finally falls or flees then every sect in there witll turn their guns on one another in a sad copy of the Balcan wars.

There are Syrians that are not able to get along to each other, and now they are killing each other. The foreign factor is enormous but not decisive. The fact that Assad propaganda creates phantom paramilitary forces, never involved in actions, and the so called government army is not able to control their's equipments, tanks, military airfields, fighter jets indictates that the days uf the government in power are numbered. Soon Syria will be under a new order similar with, Irak, Lybia, Afganistan and will prove to the world that Syrians are a bunch of ignorants and nuts.

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